Published: Thursday 23 February 2023

New EDMs

883Local Government

Tabled: 22/02/23 Signatories: 2

Andy McDonald

John McDonnell

That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, praying that the Middlesbrough Development Corporation (Establishment) Order 2023 (S.I., 2023, No. 103), dated 30 January 2023, a copy of which was laid before this House on 6 February 2023, be annulled.

Added Names

Below are EDMs tabled in the last two weeks to which names have been added. Only the first 6 names and any new names are included.

847Complaints of sexual harassment at McDonald's restaurants

Tabled: 8/02/23 Signatories: 20

Dawn Butler

John McDonnell

Mary Kelly Foy

Jeremy Corbyn

Kate Osborne

Kim Johnson

Andy McDonald

That this House recognises the legal agreement under section 23 of the Equalities Act 2006 reached between the Equalities and Human Rights Commission and fast-food giant McDonald’s UK in response to concerns over the handling of complaints by staff of sexual harassment; believes that this vindicates the campaign of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union and McStrike to highlight a toxic culture which has been allowed to persist within the corporation and a number of its franchisees; further believes that whilst the actions to which McDonald’s has committed under the agreement are welcome, no amount of management training and policy statements can compensate for the power differentials between permanent management and workers on zero hours or other casualised contracts; considers that the single most significant step the corporation could take would be accept a voluntary recognition agreement with the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union and facilitate access for union organisers to recruit those who wish to be represented by a trade union, to extend rights to workers on part-time and temporary contracts; and supports the demands of the Zero Hours Justice campaign to end the use of zero hours contracts where they are unilaterally imposed and, in the meantime, improve and protect rights for zero hours workers.

---

857Judgment on Bahrain state immunity

Tabled: 20/02/23 Signatories: 6

John McDonnell

Jim Shannon

Kenny MacAskill

Mick Whitley

Andy McDonald

Richard Burgon

That this House welcomes the High Court’s landmark ruling that the Kingdom of Bahrain does not have state immunity in a case brought by two UK-based Bahraini dissidents against the Bahraini government over spying allegations involving the use of spyware, which enabled it to conduct surreptitious surveillance on Bahraini political activists living in the UK and recognises that this decision comes in the same month as the 12 year anniversary of Bahrain’s pro-democracy uprising; further asserts that this decision clearly confirms that Bahrain and other states which conduct transnational repression on UK soil cannot hide behind state immunity and will be held accountable; and calls on the Government to protect individuals on UK soil from foreign cyber attacks and to hold the government of Bahrain to account.

---

86440th anniversary of the Dance School of Scotland

Tabled: 20/02/23 Signatories: 3

Carol Monaghan

Jim Shannon

Hannah Bardell

That this House congratulates the Dance School of Scotland on its 40th anniversary; celebrates the school’s Musical Theatre Course which was founded 25 years ago; highlights the Dance School’s national reputation as a Centre of Excellence in both vocational dance and musical theatre training; notes that it is fully funded by the Scottish Government, thereby enabling students from all backgrounds to realise their potential as they pursue a career in the arts; emphasises the expertise and dedication of its teaching faculty and musical accompanists; commends the dedication, creativity, and talent of its students and the success of its alumni; congratulates the Dance School on its achievements over the last 40 years; and wishes it all the best for years to come.

---

867Amendments to modern slavery guidance

Tabled: 20/02/23 Signatories: 4

Stuart C McDonald

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Hannah Bardell

This House regrets the Prime Minister’s announcement of 13 December 2022, which included the intention to remove the gold-plating in our modern slavery system and significantly raise the threshold someone must meet to be recognised as a victim of modern slavery; opposes the subsequent updates to Modern Slavery Guidance, which include new, impossibly high standards of evidence required within the timeframe to trigger referral to the National Referral Mechanism, a reduction of the Recovery and Reflection Period for survivors of labour abuse and sexual exploitation from 45 to 30 days, and the removal of the NRM Multi-Agency Assurance panel process, changes that make it harder for survivors to be identified and supported, and represent a regression in efforts to increase identification and support of modern slavery victims; supports comments by anti-slavery campaigners that the existing system was not gold plated but already beset by delays and poor support; calls on the Government to reconsider these plans in light of the potential exploitation and harms they will cause, particularly for vulnerable refugees and trafficking victims, which includes a high proportion of children and young people; proposes that the government adopt a transparent data- and evidence-driven approach, in consultation with anti-trafficking organisations, to improve decision-making, following calls from STOP THE TRAFFIK supported by Anti-Slavery International; and encourages the Government to return to tackling modern slavery as both a serious crime and a safeguarding issue, not an illegal immigration issue, in order to tackle its root causes and better protect vulnerable people.

---

872Service family accommodation maintenance and repair

Tabled: 20/02/23 Signatories: 5

Helen Morgan

Jim Shannon

Richard Foord

Wendy Chamberlain

Tim Farron

That this House recognises the role that the armed services play in communities across the country; acknowledges the poor standard of housing that many service people and their families are facing, including at RAF Shawbury and Tern Hill Barracks in Shropshire; notes with particular concern the service family accommodation that the Ministry of Defence have deemed not fit to reach the minimum standard; and urges the Government to review the performance of their contractors Pinnacle, Amey and VIVO and take appropriate action to ensure service level agreements are met, and prevent bonuses being paid to company executives until service levels required by the contracts are being met on a regular basis.

---

873Attacks on emergency and blue light service personnel

Tabled: 20/02/23 Signatories: 4

Mr Gregory Campbell

Carla Lockhart

Jim Shannon

Mr Barry Sheerman

That this House notes the ongoing and increasing incidence of attacks on police, ambulance, fire service and other personnel who deal with members of the public in life threatening circumstances; deplores all such attacks and calls upon those in judicial positions to impose sentences that will be seen to be a deterrent to such behaviour and reflect the unacceptability of such attacks as wider society; and pays tribute to all those personnel to whom we owe a debt of gratitude and who should have the full protection of the law whenever needed.

---

874Horizon Europe

Tabled: 21/02/23 Signatories: 4

Layla Moran

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Tim Farron

That this House celebrates the role of international collaboration in driving world leading research and innovation; notes the positive effect this has on productivity and competitiveness; recognises the continued benefit to British scientists and researchers which has accrued thanks to access to the Horizon schemes; notes with concern the significant delay to the UK gaining association as part of Horizon Europe which has resulted in British universities losing millions of pounds in funding and researchers relocating to Europe to more easily access funding there; further notes with concern the recent comments made by the new Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology that the UK is “ready” to pursue its own scheme, rather than take part in wide-scale collaboration with our neighbours that is of huge benefit to our country; and therefore calls on the Government to rule out this prospect and to recommit to gaining association with Horizon Europe as a matter of urgency.

---

875Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund Wee Box, Big Change Lent Appeal 2023

Tabled: 21/02/23 Signatories: 2

Brendan O'Hara

Jim Shannon

That this House welcomes the launch of Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund’s 2023 Wee Box, Big Change Lent Appeal; understands that this year's appeal aims to support families suffering from hunger in Zambia; understands that the Lent appeal will help fund work to act against hunger through supporting the creation of small vegetable gardens, teaching organic farming skills, gifting livestock such as pigs and goats that can produce natural fertiliser, as well as enabling communities to come together to sell their products at market, earning more money for everyone; notes that the appeal will also support activities that enable girls to focus on their education and provide support for women to feed and provide for their families; and wishes SCIAF’s Wee Box, Big Change campaign every success.

---

876Tyre pollution

Tabled: 21/02/23 Signatories: 2

Mr Barry Sheerman

Jim Shannon

That this House notes the impact of tyre wear on air and water quality; records that tyre pollution produces almost 2,000 times more air pollution than modern car exhausts; recognises that limited regulation on the production of tyres has allowed toxic chemicals and carcinogens such as 2-naphthylamine into our environment, despite having been banned in tyre production; is concerned that tyre wear produces difficult-to-measure ultrafine particles which can enter organs through the blood stream; acknowledges that the increasing prevalence of electric vehicles has increased the average weight of vehicles on UK roads contributing to increased tyre wear and therefore air pollution; and therefore calls on the Government to implement stringent regulation of tyre chemical compounds and tyre wear by supporting the Tyre Manufacture (Toxic Chemicals) Bill.

---

877125th Anniversary of Girls Friendly Society, Annaghmore Parish Church

Tabled: 21/02/23 Signatories: 2

Carla Lockhart

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates the Girls' Friendly Society at Annaghmore Parish Church on reaching their 125th year; recognises the positive impact the organisation has had on generations of young women in the locality; pays tribute to all those who have helped organise the Society through the years; and wishes the Society well for their anniversary year and the future.

---

878Banbridge Hockey Club: 125th anniversary

Tabled: 21/02/23 Signatories: 2

Carla Lockhart

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Banbridge Hockey Club on the conclusion of their 125th anniversary year; recognises the positive role played by the club in the local community in the promotion of health, wellbeing and sporting excellence; and wishes the club every success for the future.

---

879Support for people affected by the earthquake in Turkey by businesses in Inverness city centre

Tabled: 21/02/23 Signatories: 3

Drew Hendry

Jim Shannon

Hannah Bardell

That this House commends local businesses in Inverness city centre for their exemplar efforts in supporting people following the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey on 6 February 2023; notes that the earthquake left thousands of people without shelter, food and medical care; further notes that the Inverness community has rallied together to provide support to those affected by the disaster; recognises the role played by city centre businesses in collecting donations to aid relief efforts; and commends the compassion and generosity shown by the people of Inverness and beyond.

---

880Centenary of Seagoe Branch of the Mothers’ Union

Tabled: 21/02/23 Signatories: 2

Carla Lockhart

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Seagoe Branch of the Mothers' Union on reaching their centenary year; recognises the important role of the Mothers' Union in communities across the UK and, indeed, worldwide; encourages new members to explore the benefits of being part of the Mothers' Union; and wishes Seagoe Branch of the Mothers' Union ongoing success as it embarks on its next century.

---

881St Helens Rugby Football Club

Tabled: 21/02/23 Signatories: 9

Ms Marie Rimmer

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Tracey Crouch

Margaret Ferrier

Conor McGinn

Judith CumminsSir George HowarthMike Amesbury

That this House congratulates St Helens Rugby Football Club, its coach Paul Wellens, former coach Kristian Woolf, chairman Eamonn McManus, captain James Roby and all the players, staff and loyal supporters of the club that successfully won its third World Club Challenge; applauds the extraordinary achievement of the club for being the first English side to win the trophy in Australia since 1994; and commends the team on showing the world that the English Super League is the best league in the world.

---

882Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria (No. 2)

Tabled: 21/02/23 Signatories: 3

Liz Saville Roberts

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

That this House mourns the lives lost and damaged caused by the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria; notes that over 47,000 people have died so far and that an estimated 300,000 people in the region are left homeless; and calls on the Government in the short term to implement a family visa scheme for Turks and Syrians who have been left homeless and have family in the UK, and in the long term to establish safe routes for all people who are affected by similar tragedies to be able to find sanctuary in the UK.